Short and Sweet
by SuddenJami
Summary: Ike's birthday is coming up and he doesn't want anyone to celebrate or even care for it. Marth, however, wants to do at least something for his close friend and getting him a present seemed like a good idea, but has no clue as to what he should get for Ike. (Marth x Ike Oneshot)


**For those of you who are huge Fire Emblem fans, this April commemorates Path of Radiance's 10th anniversary! (April 20th and I couldn't get this up in time, but I wanted to put it up before May...) Now, another Marth x Ike one-shot. Enjoy!**

It was mid-April and simple weekday for the prince as he sat there in his room after a long match with Captain Falcon. He threw himself on his bed and let out a large sigh, feeling his muscles ache from running all over the stage. He rubbed his head and saw out the window that it was still early day. Getting up, he decided to go into the dining hall hoping to get a snack for himself; unless Kirby had eaten everything.

Marth trotted down a few fleet of stairs and turned a corner, finding the large doors that held the dining room. He opened it and inside, surprisingly, was only Ike and Robin sitting down chatting.

Before Marth joined in the conversation, Robin asked Ike, "So when's your birthday?"

Ike tore a small piece of meat off the chicken he was eating before replying. "What brought that up? Well, never mind. April 20th." He placed the food inside his mouth and spoke again while he was chewing. "I don't really care for birthdays anyway. It wasn't a big deal when I was back in Tellius and it still isn't even when I've been here for a few years."

After Ike has spoken, the tactician saw the prince and called out to him. He yelled, "Oh, hey Marth! Didn't see you there."

The mercenary turned his head and saw the swordsman. "Nice job with your match with Captain Falcon!"

Feeling like an eavesdropper, Marth said, "Thanks, Ike. Is it true? You don't really care about your birthday? What a waste. Its that one special day that happens once a year that celebrates you were born."

He shrugged. "I guess but in all honesty it feels like an ordinary day."

"Well do you bother to tell anyone? If you tell someone such as a friend, they'll be willing to celebrate with you cause it was the day you were brought to this world."

"Marth, you know what I'm like. I don't like annoying anyone."

"Its not an annoyance to them if they care about you which I do. Robin don't you agree?"

He was in the middle of reading his book, unresponsive for a few moments, but looked up and replied to Marth. "Its his choice as to if he wants to celebrate his birthday or not."

The prince's head drooped slightly. "I guess, but its still a little saddening..."

Ike took a small glance at the clock that was hanged on the wall near by some shelves. "I got to get going now. I have a match with Lucina."

Marth sat on the table next to Robin who was reading his book quietly and said, "Oh, alright. Good luck with your match."

The mercenary did a simple nodded before leaving the dining room. He walked down the hall and felt as if he was a bit too harsh to the poor prince who only wanted to acknowledge his existence. He had this feeling, but he wasn't sure as to how to describe it. Perhaps he should let him, but Ike knew about parties, they take much time and effort to plan and he didn't want to burden Marth or anyone with that. Although, the sound of getting free cake did sound good to him. He shook his head slightly and after walking with his thoughts, Ike reached the stage and luckily, it was his favorite, Delfino Plaza in omega form.

He stood on the floating platform that hovered over the island in his default clothing with his Ragnell in hand. He waited for a few moments before the blue haired princess had entered and she brought out the Falchion, its shining metal reflected against the sun. She looked at Ike and said, "Are you ready, radiant hero?"

He lifted his sword in a quick fashion and took his fighting stance. "Come, Lucina!"

She bolted, thrusting her sword forward only to graze the mercenary's waist. Ike rolled to the side, wielding his two handed sword in one and slid his weapon against her leg. She fell to the floor and Ike lifted his sword to slam it directly over the princess. Barely avoiding it, Lucina got back to her feet and swung her Falchion to provoke Ike into giving her room. She jumped forward and slashed her sword vertically. He led her into a trap and Ike countered, flinging the princess to other side of the stage.

She certainly was quick and the blue haired vanguard struggled. He fought Marth plenty of times before and Lucina's style was very similar yet she felt more agile, adding onto that she had a smaller body than Marth, making her a difficult target to hit. Ike obviously didn't have a problem fighting women, but this one really provided a challenge. Thinking about Marth suddenly made him depressed. He remembered his offer in which he declined and maybe celebrating it once wouldn't be a big deal...

Ike remained immobilized for few moments, lost in his thoughts which brought curiosity to Lucina. She yelled, "Why aren't you moving? Are you admitting defeat?"

He recalled about the match and regained his senses. Ike smirked and held his sword over his shoulder. "I won't deny that you're strong, but you're nothing like Marth."

Hearing what Ike said made her scowl and anger shone through her sapphire eyes. Lucina lunged towards the vanguard only to be parried by Ike's heavy sword. He grabbed her and threw the princess in the air, following an Aether. She air dodged when the attack reached its highest peak and prepared for a quick Shield Breaker. Catching him off guard, Ike shielded and Lucina pierced through his defense.

Confused, Ike staggered and Lucina charged her blade for a full Shield Breaker. She aimed her sword directly at Ike and stabbed him in the chest, tip first. He was launched off the stage but jumped back up, grabbing the ledge. He swung his golden blade as he got his feet back on land and dashed towards Lucina. She jumped over the mercenary and slashed at his back. He grunted and Quick Drawed back to the stage. This time, he made his back face the princess and patiently waited. She ran towards him as planned and Ike twirled his sword behind him, slamming into Lucina. Taking advantage while she was recovering, Ike ran to the edge of the stage and held his sword in two hands. A light blue aura surrounded the Ragnell that grew bigger and darker by the second. When Lucina was about to Dolphin Slash her way back in, Ike released Eruption, knocking her out of the map completely.

The voice announcer called out, "And the winner is Ike!"

Ike was huffing heavily when the match was over and honestly, he had a few doubts that he wasn't going to win. When Lucina was brought back on the stage, the blue haired mercenary walked up to her and held out his hand.

He spoke in a soft tone. "Nice match and...I didn't really mean to say that. You're good. You really are."

She let out a sigh and resheathed the Falchion. She grasped Ike's hand and let out a small grin. "I felt as if you were mocking me, but perhaps you are right; I need to get stronger for myself and for my father. Thank you Ike, for this experience."

Ike returned the smile and by the time he was back inside the building, he noticed he was already drenched in sweat. He rubbed his neck for a bit and picked up his two handed sword. Dragging it along as he went back to his room, he noticed Marth who was standing alone, polishing his weapon by his room which coincidently was next to Ike's. The mercenary approached the prince and stopped himself before starting a conversation. He had to think about Marth's request about the party, but it just felt like a hassle. Refuse or accept? He didn't know anymore. There were pros and cons to it, but really, he just wanted to talk to him.

Calming his breathing after the match, he stood next to Marth and said, "Hey."

Aware of who was next to him, Marth continued to rub his Falchion and said without looking at Ike, "So about the party, I thought about it. I know how much you dislike parties so instead, I'm gonna do something else. It won't take a lot of work like you wanted, but I'm not entirely sure as to what I'm gonna do for you."

Ike looked down at Marth and it made him smile knowing his was really thinking about what he wanted. "Anything is fine. Just make it short and sweet." The blue haired vanguard was tempted to place his hand over his head, but retracted his hand and knew after this, he had to go take a shower. "Alright, it was nice talking to ya pal. Just make sure you don't tell anyone else okay? I only want you to know."

The prince looked up at Ike to make sure he heard him correctly and the smile the mercenary was giving off assured it. He felt his face heat up and nodded. "Okay, but what do you mean by short and-"

Marth didn't finish his sentence because Ike already walked inside his room and closed the door. He stood there muddled and didn't know as to confirm what he meant or to simply come up with something that could fit the phrase. He wanted to make sure.

Ike, who just entered his room, began stripping off his clothing so he could enter the shower. First off his gloves, headband, cape, armor, and right after he removed his shirt, he heard someone knocking against his door. Letting out a sigh, feeling bothered, he approached his door forgetting he was half naked.

When he opened it, Ike asked, "What's up?" He found Marth with an expression that seemed to look as if he was shocked and the mercenary tilted his head. "Oh, Marth. Sorry, did you want to tell me something? I kinda left in the middle of the conversation cause I really wanted to take a shower." The prince stood there frozen with his face crimson. "You okay? Your face is red." It didn't come to Ike's thoughts that Marth was flustered seeing him shirtless because both of them were guys so he thought it was fine. He pinched his cheek lightly to bring back his senses. "Earth to Marth. You there?"

The prince shook his head lightly and remembered the question he wanted to ask. His sword was still in his hands so he sheathed it and tried to keep a straight face as possible. He questioned, "W-When you said short and sweet, what did you mean by that?" Marth wanted to look at Ike, but to reach his head, he'd have his eyes pass by his God like muscles. He continued to avert his eyes and looked at the floor instead. "So...Something like a present?"

Ike started to feel uncomfortable as he stood there with his chest feeling a light breeze and a shy prince that wouldn't make eye contact with him. He wanted to leave. "Uh, yeah, sure. Just make it a surprise okay?"

Marth looked up slowly and stopped his eyes at Ike's pectorals. His mind had gone elsewhere and without even knowing, his he lifted his hand. Closing the distance, he felt his heart beat rapidly and placed his palm over his chest.

Surprised at the sudden contact, Ike jumped and felt his face redden in embarrassment. "Whoa, Marth, what are you doing?"

The prince didn't answer and slid his hand down to the six pack abdominals. His eyes full of lust, he started wanting a thorough feel of Ike's skin. The sensation of warmth and soft skin made Marth want more. His hand moved even lower but was knocked away by Ike.

Finally regaining his sense, Marth realized as to what he did and looked at the mercenary whose head was turned away. His face was red.

Ike stuttered, "D-Do you even know where we are right now?"

Thunderstruck, the prince's face was complete overcome with embarrassment. "U-Uh…"

"What are you guys going?"

Both swordsmen heard the voice of a little boy and down to their right was Ness eating a lollipop. "Marth, why were you touching Ike?"

The prince couldn't believe his face could get even redder, but it did. He didn't know what to say to the little boy.

Ike responded to Ness, "Marth saw there was some dust on me and removed it. Now run along please."

He tilted his head. "Are you sure? It looked kinda weird for just removing dust... Oh well. I'm just gonna see if Toon Link wants to hang out."

When Ness walked far enough, Ike let out a sigh and Marth stood there feeling horrible. He apologized. "Ike, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me..."

The mercenary scratched his head, slightly flustered. "Its alright, I guess. It just felt weird getting touched by another guy. I'm gonna go take my shower now..."

Marth nodded and lke went back to his room. The prince walked down some steps and sat alone in the large living room. He felt as if he had made a grave mistake and didn't want anything awkward between them. Hoping he could cast what just happened aside, he had to take Ike's words into consideration. Leaning a bit more back on the couch he was sitting on, Marth wondered what kind of gift would fit the phrase. A chocolate bar? No, that didn't seem right or a very great gift. Clothing? Perhaps.

Trying to think of more ideas, eventually a few days passed by and Marth still hadn't think about anything that was suitable. Over the past week, he encountered Ike, but what the prince had done completely made the air around them unusual. He hated it and thought that getting a great gift would fix the problem between the two. They were close friends and he didn't want to ruin it. Now, it was two days before it was the mercenary's birthday.

Marth was walking down the hall after breakfast and felt he might have to consult someone to get a good idea. He passed by a few fighters, but none of them seemed like they would give nice ideas. However, still determined, he finally found Zelda next to Link and believed they could give useful advice.

He approached the couple and asked, "Zelda, can you help me out picking a gift for..." The blue haired prince recalled that Ike didn't want anyone else to know about his birthday. "For a close friend?"

"Who's the friend?" Link asked.

He quickly came up with a lie. "You don't know him. He isn't part of the Smash community."

"That's strange." Zelda said. "I never heard you talk about another friend before."

This was becoming unsettling to Marth. "Uh, yeah, cause I just met him a few weeks ago."

Marth could tell Link was becoming suspicious. The elf moved slightly closer to the prince and questioned, "What's his name?"

He had no clue what to say in return and made something out in the spot. "Er, Aurelius...?"

The hylian princess titled her head. "After the Roman emperor?"

He couldn't believe that was actually someone's name. "W-Well-"

Link stopped Marth's sentence and told Zelda, "I'm leaving. You can handle this. Bye, honey."

When the elf left, the princess made fierce eye contact with the prince and asked, "Marth, how long do you plan on lying to me?"

He let out a sigh. "Was it that obvious?"

She smiled. "Marth, you're a very honest man and you're terrible at lying. Now tell me, what's really going on?"

The blue haired swordsman knew he was going to spill the truth eventually, but he didn't picture out a situation like this. In his head, he apologized to Ike and told Zelda, "Ike's birthday is in two days and I don't know what to get him...Please, please don't tell him I said that. It was supposed to be a secret and he doesn't want a big deal out of it. I just needed help getting him something, but I couldn't think of anything myself so I decided to turn to someone hoping I wouldn't get the information out."

She giggled. "Alright, I won't tell him. You really love Ike don't you Marth?"

His face grew hot. "Love?! I think you're mistaken. We're just really close friends..."

"Oh? But Ness the older day told me you were 'touching' him in the hallways."

Marth's face grew even redder. "He told you!? T-This is so embarrassing… I probably should've told him not to tell anyone. Yeah, I did touch him, but I still don't know why I did it. He was going to take a shower and I didn't know. I knocked at his door because I wanted to clarify something and he came out without his shirt. Even Ike himself said it was weird getting touched by another guy...My mind went completely blank and the next thing I know, I'm trying to feel another man's chest."

The princess grabbed Marth's hand to calm him down and said, "Its alright and I'll help you choose out a gift. So you have anything that Ike want's in particular?"

"He said he wanted something 'short and sweet'."

The princess smiled. "I kind of have an idea in mind. Come on, lets go get him a nice birthday cake."

Happy that Zelda offered to help him, he nodded and the two went out to a small bakery that was a few blocks ahead. Inside, the small shop smelled of sweets and the pastries on display looked delicious. Simply looking at the food made Marth's mouth water but he remembered the only reason he was there was for Ike. The two waited for a few moments before a baker came to the front desk. She asked, "What can I do for you two?"

Zelda said, "I'd like a birthday cake to be made in two days. In the afternoon, my friend here will pick it up."

The lady took out a small notepad and a pen. She wrote the few details Zelda said and asked, "What kind would you like?"

The princess asked Marth, "You're closer to Ike than I am. What do you think he's like?"

He thought about it for a bit and said, "Well, he's not a huge fan of fruits and I think he likes vanilla more than chocolate. He does like ice cream and he doesn't like fillings too much. He might be okay with frosting too."

"Sounds easy enough." Zelda said. She looked at the baker. "We'd like a vanilla ice cream cake with light frosting with no fillings of any sort and on top it says 'Happy Birthday Ike'. The choices of colors are up to you guys, but still make it look nice and make it big enough for only two people to enjoy."

Confused, Marth asked, "Wait, why two? I thought its just for Ike."

The hylian princess smiled. "Nope, you two are gonna eat it together."

He felt his face grow slightly warm and Marth didn't know how to respond to it. When the prince paid for the cake and the two went out of the small shop, Zelda told Marth, "Oh and one more thing. Come closer."

Before Marth could wonder what she wanted to say, he went in closer and she whispered something in his ear. He jumped and said, "I-I can't do that! And didn't I tell you its not like that between us? I won't do it."

"Well alright, but do it when you know the moment is right cause I know you're gonna end up doing it. I think Ike would love it even if you two are guys. Besides, I think it goes well with his phrase. Well, it looks like my job here is done. I'm gonna do some more shopping before I head back. Tell me everything that happens after his birthday, okay?"

When Zelda walked on ahead, Marth groaned and slapped his hand against his forehead. He knew this wasn't going to end well and now he started predicting for the worse.

The next two days, the prince practiced his swordsmanship and tried to avoid Ike as much as possible. Luckily, the Smash Community was huge so they barely saw each other and they never had a match together during the duration of those two days. However, when April 20th came and Marth awoke early morning, his heart was beating fast. He stretched a bit before freshening up his face and then went into the training room to take a few swings with his sword.

When he opened the door, Ike was inside jabbing the large two-hundred pound punching bag. Mesmerized, Marth didn't move and watched Ike quietly. The way his arms contracted and lengthen seemed so graceful to Marth. Even though he didn't say anything, Ike managed to notice him and stopped punching. His arms and neck were covered in sweat and he breathed heavily. He walked towards a bench and picked up the towel that rested on it.

The mercenary could too, feel the awkwardness between them. After wiping his face he said to Marth, "Yo."

The blue haired prince clenched his fists tightly. "Hey… Um, I wanted to say happy birthday."

Ike wrapped the towel around his neck and sat on the bench. "Thanks." He looked up at Marth and said, "Want to sit?"

The swordsman nodded and sat down next to him; his chest felt somewhat tight. "Can you do me a small favor and… go out with me? I need to get something, but I really don't feel like getting it alone."

He tilted his head wondering what it could be about. "Sure. When?"

"Whenever I finish my sword sets for today so in about an hour. I-Is that okay?"

"Sounds fine I guess. Meet up at the entrance?"

Marth stood back up and tried to calm his staggering breath. "Alright. Thanks man."

Ike nodded and the prince walk deeper into the training room. He picked up his sword that laid on tall shelf. Taking a few swings with it, Marth was surprised Ike didn't ask as to why he had to go with him or anything about the present. He couldn't believe Zelda told him to go get the cake with him, but wouldn't that ruin the surprise somewhat? Well, he wasn't sure and continued her plans regardless. Afterwards, she told him that they'd have to eat it together alone in Ike's room then follow up from there. Marth, however, didn't know what he could add to that. What were they gonna do, have small conversations?

The prince felt as if he was going nuts and he rested his arm wielding the blade. He stood there dazed and couldn't concentrate on practicing. He told himself to forget it and he placed his sword back on the shelf. Marth left the room only to go back to his dorm and sat on his bed to stare out the window. He let out a few sighs watching the small white puffy clouds pass by and hearing the birds chirp. He looked inside his closet and wondered if he had to wear different clothing, but it probably didn't matter. The clock next to his bed still said he had time so Marth laid down and closed his eyes. He didn't sleep well the previous night due to over thinking about this day so maybe a small nap would help compose his thoughts. His breathing and his heart slowed, making his body more relaxed. He turned to his side, his face in front of the window and fell asleep.

"Marth..."

The prince could hear someone call out his name and it echoed in his ears. He loved that voice, he wanted it to call out his name even more. He balled himself up even more as his eyes struggled to open, believing he was inside a dream that had such a beautiful sound.

"Hey, wake up. Marth!"

Shocked by the yelling, Marth abruptly got up and saw Ike was next to his bed. He reached over to the clock that was next to his bed and it had been two hours since he came back from the training room. He stood up and said, "Oh crap, I feel asleep. Sorry."

Ike's voice seemed as if he was annoyed. "Its fine. Now hurry up. You said you needed to get something right? Lets go before its too late."

"Right."

Marth got up from his bed and left the large building with Ike. Together, they walked towards the bakery Marth didn't mention and inside was the woman he saw last time he was here. He went up to the baker and she said, "Oh, you're back. Here you go." She took out a box from a refrigerator behind the counter.

Marth picked up the pink box and told the woman, "Thank you very much."

The two swordsmen left the shop and Ike asked, "Is this thing for me?"

Marth didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to straight up tell him so he decided to be a little sneaky. "Just wait and you'll see when we get back to your dorm."

Confused, the mercenary questioned, "Why mine?"

He didn't answer because he wanted Ike to be curious the whole way. Marth carried the cake carefully the entire time they walked back and surprisingly, they talked normally once again. Ike told Marth that his hair was a mess and he didn't want to tell him because it looked funny. Marth yelled at him to fix it cause he was holding the box and he couldn't do it himself, but Ike refused laughing. When they finally reached the community again, Marth ran up to Ike's room, placed the cake on a small night time table, and went into the bathroom to fix his hair.

The mercenary sat on his bed and laughed. "You're that self-conscious of your hair? Haha, this is why people think you're girly all the time! Toughen up man!"

Marth walked out of the bathroom flustered with his hair fixed. "Shut up! Now eat your damn cake!"

"So I was right that this is for me. What kind is it?"

Marth sat next to him and grabbed the pink container. He opened it and showed it to Ike. The cook decided to go with a nice light blue theme with the cake and the design on it was simple, but beautiful as the text 'Happy Birthday Ike' was written on it in cursive writing.

"I wasn't entirely sure what you wanted so Zelda helped me choose."

Ike's smile faded somewhat. "You told Zelda?"

"I wanted to get you something, but I couldn't think of anything so I asked her for help. Don't worry, she won't tell anyone about your birthday."

"But doesn't that mean you didn't choose the cake yourself?"

The prince stared at the pastry and Ike was right. "Oh, I didn't think about that. Its not a big deal though. I was the one who told her what you'd like and she just told the details to the cook. I'm not that good when it comes to cooking and Zelda's pretty great so she was nice on the details. The cake looks nice because of her. Now come on, lets eat it before it melts."

At this point, his smile completely faded and turned into a small frown. "You don't understand. That doesn't matter. I was actually looking forward to something you chosen yourself. I didn't care if it was bad or good, I just wanted it to be from you."

Marth's face reddened. "W-What are you saying Ike? That's not something c-close friends say to each other..."

Ike realized what he said and turned his head away in embarrassment. "Er, right. Okay, lets eat some cake."

Before eating, Marth went down to the kitchen to get some eating utensils and plates. When he got back up to Ike's room, the mercenary was laying down, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. Confused, Marth walked up to him and asked, "Is something bothering you?"

He got up and replied. "No, I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

Ike nodded.

"Well, if you say so."

Marth set next to Ike and cut the small cake in half for both of them to enjoy. The prince thought it was kind of strange eating on someone's bed when he was so disciplined, always eating on a table. He tried letting it not bother him and continued to eat the pastry. Once in a while, he would take quick glances at Ike and he would eat quietly. After the two finished their food, both of them placed their plates on the table nearby. The swordsmen sat there, neither of them uttering a single word and once again, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Marth wanted to talk to Ike, but he didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth a few times, but no sounds ever came out. But did he really need words to express how he was feeling at that moment? He could feel his heart beating against his chest and his hands shook. His face grew hot and he reached over, placing his hand on Ike's that rested on the bed.

Ike jumped, but he didn't necessarily move his hand away. He looked at Marth and he could tell that he was embarrassed as to what he just did. Subconsciously, Ike took Marth's hand and gently grasped it into his own. The prince's hand was small in comparison to Ike's yet it felt oddly comforting, the touch of another being.

The blue haired mercenary chuckled lightly. "What are you doing Marth?"

He turned his head away. "You tell me. Accepting another guy's hand..."

Ike released his hand from the swordsman next to him and Marth turned to see why, but was suddenly pulled in, finding their shoulders and arms touching. The prince blushed and looked up at Ike who face was flustered.

"Aren't we a little too close?" Marth asked.

He tugged him in even more. "I know, but touching you just feels...calming. Is this how you felt when you were feeling my chest before?"

Marth didn't know how to react to that, but his cheeks are ears sure knew. "W-Why are you bringing that up?! That was super embarrassing..."

"Well? You still haven't answered me and you can't lie your way out of this one."

The prince let out a shaky sigh and leaned his head over Ike's shoulders. "It was lust if anything. I-I wanted...you."

Ike's face turned red and with a sudden impulse, he grabbed Marth into an embrace. He tried to hide his embarrassment and whispered into his ear, "You...idiot. This entire time I thought you hated me."

"Ike, you're squishing me..." He didn't respond, but Marth wrapped his arms around Ike. There was one more thing he knew he had to do and he said to Ike, "Listen, there's one more gift for your birthday and I can't give it to you if you keep hugging me so tightly."

Ike let go of Marth and he couldn't make eye contact with him. "Hm?"

The prince grabbed the side of Ike's face, forcing him to look up and their blue eyes linked together. Marth leaned his head over and whispered next to the mercenary's lips, "Happy birthday. Here's something short and sweet."

Marth placed his lips over Ike to give him a warm, passionate kiss. After eating cake, both of their mouth tasted sweet and it felt like blissful heaven. Ike was responding which made Marth happy and for a few moments, they exchanged kisses until the prince moved his lips away.

He clenched his hand into a fist and placed it over his chest. He looked at the mercenary and said, "Ike, there is something Zelda could never chose and that's who I'll love. I don't care if we're both guys because… I love you."

Ike smiled and placed a small peck against Marth's cheek. "I thought this day would never come. This entire time, I thought you didn't like the thought of two guys dating so I kept telling myself over and over that we were guys. It never occurred to me that you'd love me and it really confused me when you wanted to touch me. I was happy, but I honestly felt as if you were teasing me. I hated those moments when everything between us was strange because I wanted to talk to you, but I just didn't know what to say."

Marth chuckled. "Coincidentally, I thought the same, but I guess it was because we weren't honest with our feelings."

Ike nodded and held Marth's hand. "Thank you Marth. This was literally the best birthday I ever had. The kiss and cake were wonderful, but the most important part. My answer to your confession... I love you too."

He pulled Marth into another embrace and the prince wrapped his arms tightly around the blue haired mercenary. "The one who should be thanking is me. Thank you, Ike."


End file.
